The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Tuesday filed an appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit challenging a federal judge’s April order that overturned the federal public transportation mask mandate.

The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) implemented the federal mask mandate to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The federal mask mandate “require[d] people to wear masks when traveling on public transportation (such as airplanes, buses, and trains) and at transportation hubs[.]”

The appeal argued that district courts have yet to show that “the CDC has acted outside the ‘zone of reasonableness” in implementing the mask mandate. Additionally the appeal states that the district court’s ruling should not have been interpreted as nationwide relief regarding the overruling of the federal mask mandate. The DOJ is asking the Court of Appeals to reinstate the mask mandate.

In response to the DOJ’s appeal, the Health Freedom Defense Fund, who initially sued to overturn the mandate, stated “We are confident that the Court of Appeals will concur that the travel mask mandate lacked statutory authority and sound science, and should be invalidated.”